Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders, and players of dramatically different ages and skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with increased golf programming on television (e.g., golf tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf programming) and the rise of well known golf superstars, at least in part, have increased golf's popularity in recent years both in the United States and across the world. The number of individuals participating in the game and the number of golf courses have increased steadily over recent years.
Golfers of all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands, and recent years have seen dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with some balls designed to fly farther and straighter, provide higher or flatter trajectory, provide more spin, control, and feel (particularly around the greens), etc.
Being the sole instruments that set a golf ball in motion during play, golf clubs also have been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. For example, the market has seen improvements in golf club heads, shafts, and grips in recent years. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements of the golf club and characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, etc.).
Golfers tend to be sensitive to the “feel” of a golf club, particularly with respect to putters. The “feel” of a golf club (or other ball striking device) comprises the combination of various component parts of the club and various features associated with the club that produce the sensory sensations experienced by the player when a ball is swung at and/or struck. Club weight, weight distribution, aerodynamics, swing speed, and the like all may affect the “feel” of the club as it swings and strikes a ball. “Feel” also has been found to be related to the sound produced when a club head strikes a ball to send the ball in motion. If a club head makes an unpleasant, undesirable, or surprising sound at impact, a user may flinch, give up on his/her swing, or decelerate the swing, thereby affecting distance, direction, and/or other performance aspects of the swing and the resulting ball motion. User anticipation of this unpleasant, undesirable, or surprising sound can affect a swing even before the ball is hit.
Every golfer's tastes and preferences with respect to “feel” aspects of a golf club differ. In other words, providing an acceptable golf club “feel” is not a “one size fits all” proposition. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide golf club heads and/or golf clubs, including putter heads and/or putters, that enable users to change, control, and customize various aspects of the club's “feel” to match their particular preference, liking, and/or swing characteristics. In some instances, it would be particularly advantageous to provide golf club heads and/or golf clubs, including putter heads and/or putters, that enable users to change, control, and customize the sound emanating from the club head when a ball is struck to suit their particular taste, liking, and/or swing characteristics.